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Examined alcohol consumption and wages of 12,686 males (aged 21-28 yrs) from 3 perspectives. First, a 4-equation model used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth to estimate a wage equation and an hours-of-work equation for heavy drinkers and contrasted these estimates with wage and hours equations for moderate drinkers. The 2nd model used a variety of drinking thresholds to distinguish heavy drinkers from moderate ones; the association between current levels of drinking, wages, and hours of work was measured. The longitudinal nature of the data was then used to study the relation between a profile of drinking over the 1982 to 1985 period and earnings. The 3rd model investigated how the profile of drinking over the period 1982-1984 was related to the wage change between 1982 and 1985. Higher drinking levels correlated with higher wages and hours of work. Over time, however, increased drinking was associated with lower wages. (PsycINFO Database Copyright 1994 American Psychological Assn, all rights reserved)